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Faith in the Academy

Since the University’s founding by the Congregation of Holy Cross in 1842, Notre Dame has been a place of great faith. But, as a Catholic university what is it that we believe in?

The Catholic faith is fundamental at Notre Dame. We therefore believe a variety of beliefs and opinions are indispensable to provoking debate, ensuring a diversity of perspectives, promoting scholarship, and building community; we believe in the pursuit and sharing of truth for its own sake; we believe in sustaining a dialogue between faith and reason across disciplines and in the multitude of discussions, debates, and inquiries that take place at the University; we believe in academic freedom that makes open discussion and inquiry possible; we believe in collaborative, interdisciplinary research into fields as diverse as global health, alternative energy, network science, biometrics, spintronics, insect genomics, and cancer; we believe that the nature of the education offered to students foster in them those disciplined habits of mind, body, and spirit that characterize educated, skilled, and free human beings; and, we believe in service to the Catholic church in a manner appropriate for a university, and in creating a sense of human solidarity and concern for the common good that bears fruit as learning becomes service to justice. That’s what we believe in, because we’re a Catholic university.

At the University of Notre Dame, no matter what you believe, you will be engaged, inspired, and welcomed.